AV Democrats to host Republican candidates forum

Thanks to California’s open primary system, a forum scheduled Friday by a Democratic club in the Antelope Valley will feature a pair of Republican congressional candidates.

The forum for the Democratic Club of the High Desert will be attended by the two men running to represent the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and part of the Simi Valley in Congress. Both are Republicans.

“We want to be able to talk to our representatives and be able to voice our issues,” club President Johnathon Ervin said Wednesday. “You’re not going to be able to do that by taking your ball and going home.”

Though Ervin noted the club cannot endorse a Republican for the seat, he said it is important for Democrats to get to know the candidates so they can make an informed choice in November.

“We’re going to give them the opportunity to find out about these two candidates,” he said.

In June, two Republicans — former state legislator Tony Strickland and state Sen. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale — came out on top in the primary to replace longtime Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, as the representative in the 25th Congressional District.

Under California’s relatively new election laws, the top two candidates in a primary election, regardless of political party, advance to the general election.

Democrat and 2012 nominee Lee Rogers finished third.

“We’re not going to sit back and do nothing for two years on the federal level just because we didn’t get our representative elected,” Ervin said. “It’s just not going to happen.”

Friday’s forum will be held at 39047 N. 10th St. East in Palmdale and is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.